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Brexit: What I Think About It and What It Means for Students at Essex

Brexit, it’s the Marmite of the politics world. You either love it or hate it, there’s no in between. Unlike Marmite, however, you can’t just decide not to buy it and pretend it doesn’t exist. Brexit is happening whether we like it or not. First things first, I think it’s only right to to tell you that I voted remain. Regardless of how you voted I think it’s safe to say that no one wants Brexit to be a disaster. The only problem is that no one really knows what’s going to happen when Britain leaves the European Union.

Prime Minister Theresa May set out her Brexit plan in January. It emphasised regaining control of the UK’s borders and getting a good deal for British Businesses. The EU though has to agree to this plan, and that’s where things get a bit iffy. Many European countries want Britain to have a swift exit from the EU, in other words, a hard Brexit. A hard Brexit is one in which Britain severs all ties with the EU and has no special treatment. Theresa May has committed to a hard Brexit but we still don’t know exactly what that means and we probably won’t until Britain officially leaves in 2019.

What I can say though, is that regardless of the relationship Britain ends up having with the EU, European and international students will undoubtedly always be welcome at Essex. Essex would not be same without its amazing international students. They bring so much variety and fun to our campus. Having lived in the UK all my life, I love learning about other countries and their unique cultures and customs. Without our international community, Essex would not be the same place I have made my home. For me and many of my friends, Brexit hurt. It hurt because we love Europe, we love the people and we love the opportunities that being part of the EU gives us. We are part of a community at Essex that embraces every single person, no matter where they are from. Even those I know who voted for Brexit at Essex are great people who just happen to differ from me politically.

Our Vice-Chancellor, Anthony Forster, has reaffirmed Essex’s commitment to our European and international students. He has spoken of how we will remain an inclusive, internationally oriented university and a university where you can find the world in one place. You can read more about what Brexit means for students here.

Brexit means change, that is inevitable. What remains the same, however, is that our international and EU students here at Essex will always be welcomed with open arms.